See the gal in the middle? That’s Don’s mom — otherwise known by all in our family as our Energizer Bunny. She just keeps going and going, even in the face of the worst odds. You’ve heard of someone having nine lives. With Mom it’s more like 19!
We took the photo above during Kelli’s bridal shower weekend, 9 days before Mom’s latest life-threatening crisis descended upon us. She went into the hospital with some upper body swelling and a urinary tract infection (very serious for someone in renal failure) on Memorial Day, but as the week went on, the swelling got worse and worse. By week’s end, we knew what we were dealing with — a massive blood clot clear across her chest, down both arms, and up one side of her neck. (Even this photo shows that her face and neck were fuller than usual, but at the time we didn’t think much of it.)
The doc told us the outlook was grim and transferred her by ambulance to a nearby town where a cardiologist would perform a procedure to try to dissolve the clot (using catheters, he would place a drip directly on the clot to try to dissolve it over a period of hours/days). When I spoke with the him right before the procedure, he didn’t hold out much hope. Too many possible complications in the hours and days following the procedure. I assured him that we realized it might not turn out well, but I also told him how this little lady has surprised us (and the medical world!) again and again. He said, “Well, I hope she surprises this time…”
The procedure went smoothly, and about four hours later as planned, they took her back in so he could check the progress of the clot before sending her on to critical care where they would monitor her. He came back with a report no one expected. “It’s gone. The clot is gone. She won’t have to go to critical care. She can go back to the regular floor.”
Stunned and shaking my head in disbelief, I asked, “Is this amazing or what?!” He answered, “It’s huge.” All the complications (besides the renal failure) that threatened her life dissolved as the clot dissolved. Instead of calling family members with what I feared would be bad news, I called with news of a miracle. Talk about giddy. I could barely contain my laughter as I relayed the news. Our Energizer Bunny had done it again. Or more accurately — God did it again. He granted her more time in this world once more.
And now, she’s back in her assisted living home, trying to gain strength after this most recent crisis. Yes, her kidney function took a hit during the past couple of weeks and is even worse than her normal “bad”, but we are hopeful that things will level out again. Of course, we realize that someday in the future, things will not go so well. But for now, we’re praising and thanking God for yet another miracle. For yet one more life for our Energizer Bunny. Thanks for all the prayers!!
“Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf!” Psalm 66:5
*Please continue to pray for Don’s mom. She is extremely weak and not eating well. We’re not sure how long she can stay out of the hospital at this rate…
**Photo above includes our girls with their guys – Kelli & Jake on the left, Kristin & Shawn on the right.
Recent Comments